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Motorcycle review: Ducati's Diavel has devilish side

Ducati says the Diavel (which means "devil" in the Bolognese dialect) got its name because of its looks. According to their press release, when the first prototype was introduced to engineers and technicians,

Ducati says the Diavel (which means "devil" in the Bolognese dialect) got its name because of its looks.

According to their press release, when the first prototype was introduced to engineers and technicians, someone looking at the bike's silhouette from the rear exclaimed, "Evil, just like the devil!"

When I got a chance to swing my leg over the 2015 Ducati Diavel Carbon, I realized the real reason for its name. The motorcycle tempts a rider to do naughty things.

The Diavel somehow got the label of a cruiser, but it doesn't quite handle or even look like one. In fact, on Ducati's website for the Diavel, it says, "Don't call me a cruiser." So what is it? Perhaps a muscle bike, or a power cruiser. The closest motorcycle I can think of comparing it to would be the Yamaha Star's V-Max, another beastly machine with massive amounts of power and a fat rear tire. But the V-Max is much heavier, weighing about 680 pounds wet vs. 527 pounds wet for the Diavel.

The 9-spoke forged Marchesini wheels are available on the Carbon edition.(Photo: USA TODAY)

The Diavel handling felt more sport bike than heavy cruiser. It was nimble through corners, has an excellent lean angle and so much power you can feel the front end want to lift up with a heavy throttle hand. True, the huge 240/45 17" Pirelli Diablo Rosso II rear tire means you have to work a little harder to keep your line (it tends to want to swing wide), but once you get used to it, the Diavel is easy to maneuver. The tire also provided plenty of grip, so you get lots of power to the ground.

The Brembo Monobloc brakes were impressive. Traveling on Interstate 495 around Washington, D.C., a sudden traffic jam required a quick, hard stop. Not only was stopping power superb, there was very little front dive.

When Ducati launched the bike, it promised a smoother ride with the new 1198cc Testastretta 11-degree L-twin Dual Spark engine. I won't get too technical (for that, you can go to Ducati's website), but essentially the new design allows for more efficient and even burning of fuel in the combustion chambers. What this means on the road: No jerkiness or dead spots throughout the powerband, even at low RPMs.

There are three ride modes: Urban, touring and sport, which adjust horsepower output and throttle sensitivity. In sport, the throttle was snappy, and a little twist catapults a rider to speeds fit only for the track. Because it's so smooth, you almost don't notice how much speed you've picked up until you look at the indicator. With 162 peak horsepower, incredible stability and excellent handling, this devilish bike tempts you to ride like a bat out of hell.

An aggressive styling for the Diavel.(Photo: USA TODAY)

In urban mode, factory settings cut peak power back to 100 hp and the throttle was less touchy, which helps when bouncing over manhole covers and road imperfections. The Ride-by-Wire system helps tame the engine but also allows the rider to tap into power reserves when needed, making stop-and-go traffic easy to deal with. All modes can be further customized by the rider. Suspension is also fully adjustable.

I really liked the slipper clutch, which produced smooth, stable downshifting. Sometimes, I can be a sloppy rider, releasing the clutch before properly rev-matching. The first time I did this on the Diavel, I braced for the rear wobble. It didn't happen. The next time I did it on purpose: Still smooth and stable.

Other standout features:

The 30.3 inch seat height means riders of nearly any height can hop on and ride with ease. The upgraded LED lighting gives the bike an aggressive look and throws plenty of light on the road. The upright riding position is very comfortable – heck, I even thought it might be nice to fit the bike with highway pegs. Maintenance intervals are impressive: 7,500 miles between oil changes and 18,000 miles before valve clearance checks.

On fuel efficiency, I averaged about 44 mpg. Range on a full tank of gas, about 150 miles.

The passenger grab bar is well integrated with the design, but not that easy to hang on to.(Photo: USA TODAY)

The Diavel has a passenger seat hidden under the rear cowl and a small passenger grab bar, which pops out from under the bike. The grab bar is a great idea and looks sleek and unintrusive with the rest of the bike's design, but it doesn't really offer a good grip. On harder acceleration, my hands slipped a bit, no matter how tight I was holding. Safer to just hang on to the rider.

The passenger seat was plush, and the passenger pegs swung down to a comfortable position.

Storage is basically nil, unless you mount bags. But that would take away from its looks, which some will immediately love while others will hate. Either way, it's a head-turner.

Ducati delivered on its promise. A smooth-riding motorcycle with tech upgrades that let skilled riders push their limits and will compensate for less-skilled riders. The only thing keeping me from running out and buying one is the price.

The 2015 Ducati Diavel starts at $17,995 for the Dark Stealth and $20,995 for the Carbon editions, which come in red and black or white and black and have the lighter 9-spoke forged Marchesini wheels.